Chapter 21 – Summary

Dr. Thomas Allen reflects on his company's growth and his current San Francisco office location, before receiving a surprise call from Samir Patel. Recently let go from NASA due to budget cuts, Samir asks if Allen might help market his expertise to potential clients. Allen agrees to explore opportunities, proposing to sell Samir’s services at top-tier rates. Their call ends with a renewed sense of partnership and hope for Samir’s future.

Meanwhile, General Colin Fraser’s team—four elite Green Berets and a military doctor—lands covertly on Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands, to apprehend Mark Peltier. Setting up surveillance, they wait for him to leave his well-protected property. Coincidentally, Mark is heading to Cruz Bay to meet his friend Samantha Butler, a former nurse and successful romance novelist who now lives in the British Virgin Islands. The nature of their relationship remains somewhat ambiguous; however, it is clear that they share a strong bond.

As Mark departs, the team puts their plan into motion. One operative fakes an injury by the roadside to lure Mark out of his car. When Mark offers help, the rest of the team ambushes him, subduing him with a ketamine injection. Despite his resistance, the drug quickly incapacitates him. The team stretcher-carries him to a waiting helicopter, where he's sedated further with a diazepam IV drip. They transport him to Saint Croix and then onto a military transport back to the mainland, proud of their swift and efficient operation.